Walker for invalids



Jan. 13, 1953 RICHARDSON ETAL 2,625,202

WALKER FOR INVALIDS Filed June 15, 1949 7 2 swans-swam 1 INVENTORS Lawrenta Richards EH'L Eleves Richardson Jan. 13, 1953 L. RICHARDSON ET AL 2,625,202

WALKER FOR INVALIDS 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Filed June 15, 1949 S R O T N E V N I Lawr ante Rithards an BlevesRichar 15011 flrroRA/A-Y Patented Jan. 13, 1953 OFFICE WALKER FOR INVALIDS Lawrence Richardson, Cambridge, Mass, and Cleves Richardson, Louisville, Ky.

Application June 15, 1949, Serial No. 99,268

13 Claims.

This invention relates to a walker for invalids, hospital bed patients, cripples and others temporarily or permanently incapacitated from walking due to weakness or physical inability causes.

One object of the invention is to provide a simple, reliable and efficient type of wheeled device of this character whereby an invalid or patient may be supported and enabled to move himself from place to place.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of this character which may be arranged alongside a bed and which embodies a base to extend under the bed and adjustable and resilient supporting means adapted in such arrangement of the device to extend over the bed, whereby a patient may raise himself out of bed and move from place to place with the aid of the walker and then, on returning to a position alongside the bed, may lower himself onto the bed again.

Still another object of the invention is to provide novel and improved supporting and raising and lowering means for the purpose, which raising and lowering means may be operated by the patient or an attendant and is simple of construction and so constructed that it will not slip and cause the patient to fall.

Still another object of the invention is to provide adjustable supporting means including resiliently mounted arm pit or shoulder engaging members which will accommodate themselves to the up and down body movements of the wearer and allow easy walking movements reducing strain and fatigue.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a walking device which is free from complex parts liable to get out of order and which may be manufactured and sold cost With these and other objects in view, the invention consists of the novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts, hereinafter more fully described and claimed, and as' the walker.

at a comparatively low hoist or gear forming part of the raising and lowings, l designates a wheeled carriage including a horizontal base frame which is U-shaped and comprises two longitudinal sidebars 2 connected at their forward ends by a cross bar 3, said base frame being open at the rear to provide a passageway a allowing free movement of the legs of thepatient into and out of the space between the side bars under certain conditions when the patient is entering or leaving the device. The base frame is provided at its front corner and at the rear ends of the bars 2 with supporting wheels 5 preferably of caster wheel type.

Fixed to and rising from the center of the bar 3 is a standard or upright in the form of a rod 6 having its upper end extended rearwardly and curved to form a suspension arm I overhanging the open center of the base frame in rear of the bar 3. At spaced points in its length the arm I carries guide pulleys 8 in guided engagement with which is a suspension chain, rope or cable 9. The rear end of this member 9 depends at the rear end of the arm 7 and carries a body supporting sling. This sling consists of a horizontal transverse rod or bar If] centrally connected to the suspension member 9 and carrying at its ends depending springs II to which are attached loops I2. The transverse bar It! is arrangedto bridge over and across the head or shoulders of the person to be supported so that the arms of the person may be projected through the loops l2 to bring the loops under the arm pits of the person, whereby the body of the person may be supported in an upright position-with his legs depending through the open carriage frame and with his feet resting upon the floor or ground. As the loops are resiliently supported they are adapted to move up and down as well as forwardly and backwardly to accommodate themselves to and permit of the body movements of a person in the normal course of walking, particularly the irregular movements of an invalid, thus allowing the person to walk more freely and with less restraint and fatigue.

Slidably mounted for adjustment on the upright 6 is a gear casing I3 to-whichare secured rearwardly extending handle bars [4 provided with hand grips l5. These grips are adapted to be engaged by the hands of the person so that by the use of his hands the-person may assist in supporting himself in walking position,- and by means of the handle bars the walker; device maybe controlled and guided with-facility.

Attached at-its upper end to the lower or forward end of the flexible supporting member 9 is a threaded rod l 6 which extends down and through the gear casing 13. In the casing are arranged a gear nut l1 engaging the rod and worm gear mechanism 18 for rotating the nut, wherebythe rod may beraised and-lowered to effect up and 'down-travel' 'of the member 9 'sothat the sling ID may be raised and lowered."

The shaft of the worm gearing extends outwardly from the casing and has attached thereto a crank handle or wheel [9 whereby the gearing may be actuated byqthe patient or an, attendant to adjustzthe slingto'fa proper-elevation and to adapt the patient to raise himself from or lower himself onto a bed, or permit these operations.

to be performed by an attendant if the patient is.

unable to perform them.

In the use of the device, as in connection with an invalid or bed patient in a hospitahthe device is brought alongside the bed with a portion of the base frame I projecting under the'bed so that the handle bars and sling will extend over the bed and in position totbe manipulated by the patient. The sling, ifiraised, is then lowered so thatthepatient may thrusthis arms through the loops l2 and. bringthem. under his arm pits and grip thehandle bars to assist in raising himself up,,.in,bed .andinlpositionto bring hisrlegs beyond thesideof thebed. so.that by elevation of the slingithepatient may be lifted and supported in standing.v position ready to" walk;v This lmovementofthe sling to raise the/patientto standing position maybeefiected by means. of the gearing, operated either; bythe patient or, if he is unable, by an attendant. The character of thegearing used allows thisto. be easily done and the sling to be adjusted .to the. exact elevation desired to support; theqpatient with more. or less of his weight on his feet. iTheipatient may then walk While supported by the: walking device, or the patient may employwa walkingmotion if he is not not be accidentallyreleased and-allow the patient to fall....

From the'foregoingidescription, taken in connectionv with the drawing, theconstruction and modepf operationof, the walking device will be readily nnderstoodswithonti a further and extended: description, and, it will be seen that the device,combinexrsimplicity of construction with,

the manifoldadvantages setforth. While the constructiondisclosed is preferred, it is to be understood thatchanges in thevform, construction and arrangement-.ofparts may be made, within thescope of theappended claims, without idepar-ting from. the-spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

Havingthusdescribed.our invention, what we clainnisi,

1. A.deyice, of .the.charactendescribed for supporting-andaidinga person in walking compriseing a wheeled-carriage:includinga horizontal U- shaped base-.qframe,an.:upright rising from the front of-the :basezframe and .havingitsupperend extending rearwardlyto forman arm overhang-- ingtheopen centersof thezbaseiframe, a flexible suspendingv member irrztraveling relationrto said amend-depending. therefrom. at the rear end,

thereof, a slingibar-centrally connected to the rear end; ofcthe. flexiblesuspending member, .loopsat opnosite 'endsofrtheibarrandiresiliently.connected therewithtfor :upsand-down movements independent thereof, and means connected with the suspending member for moving said member to raise and lower the sling bar.

2.1'Adeviceoffthe character described for supporting-and aiding'a person in walking comprising a wheeled base frame, an upright rising from the front of the frame and having an upper end portion extending rearwardly over the frame, a gear casing mounted on the upright, handle bars carriedrby the: casing, a threaded rod extending through th'e'casing, a flexible travelable suspension "member, in guided relation to the upright and connected at one end to the rod and having itstopposite end depending at the free end of the rearwardly extendin upper end of the upright, a sling having arm pit engaging members connected to -the'latter- 'namedT-end ofthe flexible attheend of said sling,banloopssupportedby V the 1 springs to receivethe I arms and eng ge the arm pits of the person'to besupported, and means connected with the-suspending member for movingIsaid member-toraise andlower the sling.

4. -A device of thecharactervdescribed for supe porting andaiding a person-in-walklng compris-- inga wheeled carriageincluding a horizontal U-. V shaped base a frame, an :upright rising from 'the' front of the base frame andhaving-it upper end extending rearwardlyand overhanging the open center ofthe base-frame, a flexible suspending" member-in traveling relation to said'armand (le pending'therefromyat'the rear-end thereof, a' slingbancentrally connected to thei'ear endof the fiexible suspending member; loops at-the 013-.

posite ends of the bar and resilientlyconnected;

therewith forupanddDWn movements independent-thereof, a gear casing. slidably mounted on theupright; and-gearing-in said'casing connected with the suspending member for. moving said member to raise and lower the sling bar.

5. -.A, deviceof the character describedforsupporting andaiding-a person i-n-walkingcomprisingia. wheeled base frame, an upright rising-from the front ofthe' frame and havingan upper end portionaextending rearward-1y over the frame, a

gear casing mounted onathe upright, handle bars carried by the casing, a threaded rod-extending.

through the casing, a flexible:travelable;suspension member in -guidedr relation to the upright and connected at one end to the rod and having its opposite end depending at the free end of the rearwardly extending upper end. of the upright.

a sling havin arm pit engaging-members con-:. nected to the latter named end of theflexlblei" member; ,and.-worm; gearing in said casings-enigaging the rod and operable torraise'and' lower;

the same.-,and-.transmit movementto: the flexible member-and to lock :the same in any adjusted positiom 6. ,deyicelofsthe character 'describedfor sup porting and aiding a, person in Walking comprise;

ing a wheeledcarriageincluding a horizontal U shaped base frame, an upright rising from the front of the base frame and having its upper end extending rearwardly and overhanging the open center of the base frame, a flexible suspending member in traveling relation to said arm and depending therefrom at the rear end thereof, a body supporting sling connected to the rear end of the suspending member and means slidably connected with the upright and including gearing connected with the suspending member for moving said member to raise and lower the sling.

7 A device of the character described for supporting and aiding a person in walking comprising a wheeled carriage including a horizontal U- shaped base frame, an upright rising from the front of the base frame and having its upper end extending rearwardly and overhanging the open center of the base frame, a flexible suspending member in traveling relation to said arm and depending therefrom at the rear end thereof, a sling bar centrally connected to the rear end of the flexible suspending member, loops at the opposite ends of the bar and resiliently connected therewith for up and down movements independent thereof, and means slidably connected with the upright and including gearing connected with the suspending member for moving said member to raise and lower the sling bar.

8. A device of the character described for supporting and aiding a person in walking comprising a wheeled base frame, an upright rising from the front of the frame and having an upper end portion extending rearwardly over the frame, a gear casing mounted on the upright, handle bars carried by the casing, a motion transmitting member extending through the casing, a flexible travelable suspension member in guided relation to the upright and connected at one end to the upright and having its opposite end depending at the free end of the rearwardly extending upper end of the upright, a body supporting sling connected to the latter named end of the flexible member, and gearing in said casing engaging the motion transmitting member and operable to raise and lower the same and transmit movement to the flexible member.

9. A device of the character described for supporting and aiding a person in walking, comprising a wheeled carriage including a horizontal substantially U-shaped base frame having a front bar and a pair of rearwardly extending side bars, an upright rising from the center of the front bar, and having its upper portion extending rearwardly to form an arm overhanging the open center of the base frame, a flexible suspending member in traveling relation to said arm and depending therefrom at the rear end thereof, a supporting sling connected to the rear end of the supporting member having loops to receive the arms and engage the armpits of the person to be supported, handlebars adjustably mounted with reference to the upright, and means connecting the forward end of said flexible member to said handlebars.

10. A device of the character described for supporting and aiding a person in walking, comprising a wheeled carriage including a horizontal substantially U-shaped base frame having a front bar and a pair of rearwardly extending side bars, an upright rising from the center of the front bar, and having its upper portion extending rearwardly to form an arm overhanging the open center of the base frame, a flexible suspending member in traveling relation to said arm and depending therefrom at the rear end thereof, a supporting sling connected to the rear end of the supporting member having loops to receive the arms and engage the armpits of the person to be supported, handlebars adjustably mounted with reference to the upright, means connecting the front end of said flexible suspending member to said handlebars, and means connected to said flexible suspending member and operable from a position adjacent the handlebars for moving said member to raise or lower the sling.

11. A perambulator comprising a wheeled base frame having a centrai open space for the feet of a walker, an upright rising from the front of the base frame and including a portion extending rearwardly to provide a supporting arm having its rear end overlying the open center of the base frame, an elongated flexible member slidably carried by said upright and rearwardly extending armhaving depending means for resiliently supporting the shoulders of a walker, and means slidably mounted on said upright for adjusting said flexible member lengthwise of said upright and rearwardly extending arm.

12. A perambulator comprising a wheeled base frame, having a central open space for the feet of a walker, an upright rising from the front of the base frame and including an upper portion extending rearwardly over the open space, a flexible and slidable suspending member carried by said upright and rearwardly extending arm, and including a depending portion at the rear end thereof, a supporting sling carried by said depending portion, handlebars slidably and adjustably carried by the upright, and means connecting the end of the flexible member opposite said depending end to said handlebars.

13. A perambulatcr comprising a wheeled base frame, having a central open space for the feet of a walker, an upright rising from the front of the base frame and including a portion extending rearwardly to form an arm overhanging the open center of the base frame, a flexible suspending member slidably carried by said upright and rearwardly extending arm, and having an end portion depending from the rear thereof, a supporting sling connected to said depending end portion, and provided with resilient shoulder supporting means, handlebars adjustably mounted wth reference to the upright, and means connecting one end of the flexible members to said handlebars.

LAWRENCE RICHARDSON. CLEVES RICHARDSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 324,288 Charles Aug. 11, 1885 541,887 Shull July 2, 1895 308,785 Thompson Jan. 2, 1906 1,611,807 Bergh Dec. 21, 1926 1,642,184 Urso Sept. 13, 1927 1,878,785 Leavitt Sept. 20, 1932 1,961,119 Ettinger May 29, 1934 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 868,857 France J Jan. 6, 1941 

